MELAKA: A 50-year-old man was caught using his 7-year-old niece to beg while dressed in a Spiderman costume at a petrol station in Melaka Tengah.
The man's actions were uncovered when the state Women, Family and Community Development committee chairman, Datuk Kalsom Noordin, and the Melaka Social Welfare Department detained him on Sunday.
Kalsom said she rushed to the location after receiving reports of child exploitation and discovered the man was not the girl's father, but her uncle.
The suspect, a widower, claimed he had recently been retrenched as a security officer and resorted to wearing the costume to seek public sympathy for survival.
"We are issuing a stern warning to this man for exploiting children, including using them for begging.
"This is an offence under Section 32 of the Child Act 2001, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of RM20,000, or both," she said.
Kalsom added that exploiting children to gain sympathy is a serious legal violation, even when involving family members.
"I came to ensure the welfare of this child. If there are genuine financial problems, use the correct channels and do not involve children," she said.
The man, who arrived at the scene on a motorcycle, apologised and expressed regret, though he claimed the activity was known to the child's parents.
Observations from 3pm onwards showed the man and the girl sitting in the scorching heat. The girl's Spiderman costume appeared worn and torn, and she was seen walking alone near large waste bins without supervision.
She also appeared exhausted, frequently seeking shade under an umbrella. - NST
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